Computational study of the reaction of chlorinated vinyl radical with molecular oxygen (C2Cl3 + O2)

Eight exothermic product channels of the reaction of chlorinated vinyl radical (C2Cl3) with molecular oxygen (O2) have been investigated using ab initio quantum chemistry methods. The energetics of the reaction pathways were calculated at the second-order Moller-Plesset Gaussian-3 level of theory (G3MP2) using the B3LYP/6-311G(d) optimized geometries. It has been shown that the C2Cl3 + O2 reaction takes place via a barrierless addition to form the chlorinated vinylperoxy radical complex, which can decompose or isomerize to various products via the complicated mechanisms. Two major reaction routes were revealed, i.e., the three-member-ring reaction mechanism leading to ClCO + CCl2O, CO + CCl3O, CO2 + CCl3, Cl + (ClCO)2, etc., and the OO bond cleavage mechanism leading to O(3P) + C2Cl3O. The other mechanisms are shown to be unimportant. The results are validated by the calculations using the restricted coupled cluster theory [RCCSD(T)] with the complete basis set extrapolation. Variational transition state theory was employed to calculate the individual and total rate coefficients as a function of temperature and pressure (helium). The theoretical rate coefficients are in good agreement with the available experimental data. It was found that the total rate coefficients show strong negative temperature dependence in the range 200-2000 K. At room temperature (297 K), the total rate coefficients are shown to be nearly pressure independent over a wide range of helium pressures (1-10(9) Torr). The deactivation of the initial adduct, C2Cl3O2, is only significant at pressures higher than 1000 Torr. The three-member-ring reaction mechanism is always predominant over the OO bond cleavage.     

Computational study of the reaction of fluorine atom with acetone

The reaction of F(2P) with acetone has been studied theoretically using ab initio quantum chemistry methods and transition state theory. The potential energy surface was calculated at the G3MP2 level using the MP2/6-311G(d,p) optimized structures. Additionally, to ensure the accuracy of the calculations, optimizations with either larger basis set (e.g., MP2/G3MP2Large) or higher level electron correlation [e.g., CCSD/ 6-311G(d,p)] were also performed. It has been revealed that the F + CH3C(O)CH3 reaction proceeds via two pathways: (1) the direct hydrogen abstraction of acetone by F gives the major products HF + CH3C(O)CH2; (2) the addition of F atom to the >C=O double bond of acetone and the subsequent C-C bond cleavage gives the minor products CH3 + CH3C(O)F. All other product channels are of no importance due to the occurrence of significant barriers. Both abstraction and addition appear to be barrierless processes. Variational transition state model and multichannel RRKM theory were employed to calculate the temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants and branching ratios. The predicted rate constants for the abstraction channel and the yields of HF + CH3C(O)CH3 and CH3 + CH3C(O)F are both in good agreement with the experimental data at 295 K and 700 Torr. A negative temperature dependence of the overall rate constants was predicted at temperatures below 500 K.     

Toluene combustion: reaction paths, thermochemical properties, and kinetic analysis for the methylphenyl radical + O2 reaction

Aromatic compounds such as toluene and xylene are major components of many fuels. Accurate kinetic mechanisms for the combustion of toluene are, however, incomplete, as they do not accurately model experimental results such as strain rates and ignition times and consistently underpredict conversion. Current kinetic mechanisms for toluene combustion neglect the reactions of the methylphenyl radicals, and we believe that this is responsible, in part, for the shortcomings of these models. We also demonstrate how methylphenyl radical formation is important in the combustion and pyrolysis of other alkyl-substituted aromatic compounds such as xylene and trimethylbenzene. We have studied the oxidation reactions of the methylphenyl radicals with O2 using computational ab initio and density functional theory methods. A detailed reaction submechanism is presented for the 2-methylphenyl radical + O2 system, with 16 intermediates and products. For each species, enthalpies of formation are calculated using the computational methods G3 and G3B3, with isodesmic work reactions used to minimize computational errors. Transition states are calculated at the G3B3 level, yielding high-pressure limit elementary rate constants as a function of temperature. For the barrierless methylphenyl + O2 and methylphenoxy + O association reactions, rate constants are determined from variational transition state theory. Multichannel, multifrequency quantum Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (qRRK) theory, with master equation analysis for falloff, provides rate constants as a function of temperature and pressure from 800 to 2400 K and 1 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(3) atm. Analysis of our results shows that the dominant pathways for reaction of the three isomeric methylphenyl radicals is formation of methyloxepinoxy radicals and subsequent ring opening to methyl-dioxo-hexadienyl radicals. The next most important reaction pathway involves formation of methylphenoxy radicals + O in a chain branching process. At lower temperatures, the formation of stabilized methylphenylperoxy radicals becomes significant. A further important reaction channel is available only to the 2-methylphenyl isomer, where 6-methylene-2,4-cyclohexadiene-1-one (ortho-quinone methide, o-QM) is produced via an intramolecular hydrogen transfer from the methyl group to the peroxy radical in 2-methylphenylperoxy, with subsequent loss of OH. The decomposition of o-QM to benzene + CO reveals a potentially important new pathway for the conversion of toluene to benzene during combustion. A number of the important products of toluene combustion proposed in this study are known to be precursors of polyaromatic hydrocarbons that are involved in soot formation. Reactions leading to the important unsaturated oxygenated intermediates identified in this study, and the further reactions of these intermediates, are not included in current aromatic oxidation mechanisms.     

Mechanistic and kinetic study of the O + CH2OH reaction

The mechanism for the O + CH2OH reaction was investigated by various ab initio quantum chemistry methods. For the chemical activation mechanism, that is, the addition/elimination path, the couple-cluster methods including CCSD and CCSD(T) were employed with the cc-pVXZ (X = D, T, Q, 5) basis sets. For the abstraction channels, multireference methods including CASSCF, CASPT2, and MRCISD were used with the cc-pVDZ and cc-pVTZ basis sets. It has been shown that the production of H + HCOOH is the major channel in the chemical activation mechanism. The minor channels include HCO + H2O and OH + CH2O. The hydrogen abstraction by an O atom from the CH2OH radical produces either OH + CH2O or OH + HCOH. Moreover, the two abstraction reactions are essentially barrierless processes. The rate constants for the association of O with CH2OH have been calculated using the flexible transition state theory. A weak negative temperature dependence of the rate constants is found in the range 250-1000 K. Furthermore, it is estimated that the abstraction processes also play an important role in the O + CH2OH reaction. Additionally, the falloff behavior for the OCH2OH --> H + HCOOH reaction has been investigated. The present theoretical results are compared to the experimental measurements to understand the mechanism and kinetic behavior of the O + CH2OH reaction and the unimolecular reaction of the OCH2OH radical.     

Theoretical study of the benzyl+O2 reaction: kinetics, mechanism, and product branching ratios

Ab initio calculations at the level of CBS-QB3 theory have been performed to investigate the potential energy surface for the reaction of benzyl radical with molecular oxygen. The reaction is shown to proceed with an exothermic barrierless addition of O2 to the benzyl radical to form benzylperoxy radical (2). The benzylperoxy radical was found to have three dissociation channels, giving benzaldehyde (4) and OH radical through the four-centered transition states (channel B), giving benzyl hydroperoxide (5) through the six-centered transition states (channel C), and giving O2-adduct (8) through the four-centered transition states (channel D), in addition to the backward reaction forming benzyl radical and O2 (channel E). The master equation analysis suggested that the rate constant for the backward reaction (E) of C6H5CH2OO-->C6H5CH2+O2 was several orders of magnitude higher that those for the product dissociation channels (B-D) for temperatures 300-1500 K and pressures 0.1-10 atm; therefore, it was also suggested that the dissociation of benzylperoxy radicals proceeded with the partial equilibrium between the benzyl+O2 and benzylperoxy radicals. The rate constants for product channels B-D were also calculated, and it was found that the rate constant for each dissociation reaction pathway was higher in the order of channel D>channel C>channel B for all temperature and pressure ranges. The rate constants for the reaction of benzyl+O2 were computed from the equilibrium constant and from the predicted rate constant for the backward reaction (E). Finally, the product branching ratios forming CH2O molecules and OH radicals formed by the reaction of benzyl+O2 were also calculated using the stationary state approximation for each reaction intermediate.     

A systematic computational study of the reactions of HO2 with RO2: the HO2 + C2H5O2 reaction

The reaction of HO2 with C2H5O2 has been studied using the density functional theory (B3LYP) and the coupled-cluster theory [CCSD(T)]. The reaction proceeds on the triplet potential energy surface via hydrogen abstraction to form ethyl hydroperoxide and oxygen. On the singlet potential energy surface, the addition-elimination mechanism is revealed. Variational transition state theory is used to calculate the temperature-dependent rate constants in the range 200-1000 K. At low temperatures (e.g., below 300 K), the reaction takes place predominantly on the triplet surface. The calculated low-temperature rate constants are in good agreement with the experimental data. As the temperature increases, the singlet reaction mechanism plays more and more important role, with the formation of OH radical predominantly. The isotope effect of the reaction (DO2 + C2D5O2 vs HO2 + C2H5O2) is negligible. In addition, the triplet abstraction energetic routes for the reactions of HO2 with 11 alkylperoxy radicals (CnHmO2) are studied. It is shown that the room-temperature rate constants have good linear correlation with the activation energies for the hydrogen abstraction.     

Role of O2 + QOOH in low-temperature ignition of propane. 1. Temperature and pressure dependent rate coefficients

The kinetics of the reaction of molecular oxygen with hydroperoxyalkyl radicals have been studied theoretically. These reactions, often referred to as second O(2) addition, or O(2) + QOOH reactions, are believed to be responsible for low-temperature chain branching in hydrocarbon oxidation. The O(2) + propyl system was chosen as a model system. High-level ab initio calculations of the C(3)H(7)O(2) and C(3)H(7)O(4) potential energy surfaces are coupled with RRKM master equation methods to compute the temperature and pressure dependence of the rate coefficients. Variable reaction coordinate transition-state theory is used to characterize the barrierless transition states for the O(2) + QOOH addition reactions as well as subsequent C(3)H(6)O(3) dissociation reactions. A simple kinetic mechanism is developed to illustrate the conditions under which the second O(2) addition increases the number of radicals. The sequential reactions O(2) + QOOH → OOQOOH → OH + keto-hydroperoxide → OH + OH + oxy-radical and the corresponding formally direct (or well skipping) reaction O(2) + QOOH → OH + OH + oxy-radical increase the total number of radicals. Chain branching through this reaction is maximized in the temperature range 600-900 K for pressures between 0.1 and 10 atm. The results confirm that n-propyl is the smallest alkyl radical to exhibit the low-temperature combustion properties of larger alkyl radicals, but n-butyl is perhaps a truer combustion archetype.     

Theoretical study on mechanisms and kinetics of NCCO + O2 reaction

Mechanisms and kinetics of the NCCO + O2 reaction have been investigated using the extrapolated full coupled cluster theory with the complete basis set limit (FCC/CBS) and multichannel RRKM theory. Energetically, the most favorable reaction route involves the barrierless addition of the oxygen atom to one of the carbon atoms of NCCO and the subsequent isomerization-decomposition via the four-center intermediate and transition state, leading to the final products NCO and CO2. At 298 K, the calculated overall rate constant is strongly pressure-dependent, which is in good agreement with the available experimental values. It is predicted that the high-pressure limit rate constants exhibit negative temperature dependence below 350 K. The dominant products are NCO and CO2 at low pressures (ca. <10 Torr) and the NCCO(O2) radical at higher pressures, respectively.     

Ab initio chemical kinetic study on Cl + ClO and related reverse processes

The reaction of ClO with Cl and its related reverse processes have been studied theoretically by ab initio quantum chemical and statistical mechanical calculations. The geometric parameters of the reactants, products, and transition states are optimized by both UMPW1PW91 and unrestricted coupled-cluster single and double excitation (UCCSD) methods with the 6-311+G(3df) basis set. The potential energy surface has been further refined (with triple excitations, T) at the UCCSD(T)/6-311+G(3df) level of theory. The results show that Cl(2) and O ((3)P) can be produced by chlorine atom abstraction via a tight transition state, while ClOCl ((1)A(1)) and ClClO ((1)A') can be formed by barrierless association processes with exothermicities of 31.8 and 16.0 kcal/mol, respectively. In principle the O ((1)D) atom can be generated with a large endothermicity of 56.9 kcal/mol; on the other hand, its barrierless reaction with Cl(2) can readily form ClClO ((1)A'), which fragments rapidly to give ClO + Cl. The rate constants of both forward and reverse processes have been predicted at 150-2000 K by the microcanonical variational transition state theory (VTST)/Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus (RRKM) theory. The predicted rate constants are in good agreement with available experimental data within reported errors.     

The reaction of phenyl radical with molecular oxygen: a G2M study of the potential energy surface

Ab initio G2M calculations have been performed to investigate the potential energy surface for the reaction of C6H5 with O2. The reaction is shown to start with an exothermic barrierless addition of O2 to the radical site of C6H5 to produce phenylperoxy (1) and, possibly, 1,2-dioxaspiro[2.5]octadienyl (dioxiranyl, 8) radicals. Next, 1 loses the terminal oxygen atom to yield the phenoxy + O products (3) or rearranges to 8. The dioxiranyl can further isomerize to a seven-member ring 2-oxepinyloxy radical (10), which can give rise to various products including C5H5 + CO2, pyranyl + CO, o-benzoquinone + H, and 2-oxo-2,3-dihydrofuran-4-yl + C2H2. Once 10 is produced, it is unlikely to go back to 8 and 1, because the barriers separating 10 from the products are much lower than the reverse barrier from 10 to 8. Thus, the branching ratio of C6H5O + O against the other products is mostly controlled by the critical transition states between 1 and 3, 1 and 8, and 8 and 10. According to the calculated barriers, the most favorable product channel for the decomposition of 10 is C5H5 + CO2, followed by pyranyl + CO and o-benzoquinone + H. Since C6H5O + O and C5H5 + CO2 are expected to be the major primary products of the C6H5 + O2 reaction and thermal decomposition of C6H5O leads to C5H5 + CO, cyclopentadienyl radicals are likely to be the major product of phenyl radical oxidation, and so it results in degradation of the six-member aromatic ring to the five-member cyclopentadienyl ring. Future multichannel RRKM calculations of reaction rate constants are required to support these conclusions and to quantify the product branching ratios at various combustion conditions.     

Transition state structure and energetics of the N(2)O + X (X = Cl,Br) reactions

The structural and vibrational properties of the transition state of the N(2)O + X (X = Cl,Br) reactions have been characterized by ab initio methods using density functional theory. We have employed Becke's hybrid functional (B3LYP), and transition state optimizations were performed with 6-31G(d), 6-311G(2d,2p), 6-311+G(3d,2p), and 6-311+G(3df,2p) basis sets. For the chlorine atom reaction the coupled-cluster method (CCSD(T)) with 6-31G(d) basis set was also used. All calculations resulted in transition state structures with a planar cis arrangement of atoms for both reactions. The geometrical parameters of transition states at B3LYP are very similar, and the reaction coordinates involve mainly the breaking of the N-O bond. At CCSD(T)/6-31G(d) level a contribution of the O-Cl forming bond is also observed in the reaction coordinate. In addition, several highly accurate ab initio composite methods of Gaussian-n (G1, G2, G3), their variations (G2(MP2), G3//B3LYP), and complete basis set (CBS-Q, CBS-Q//B3LYP) series of models were applied to compute reaction energetics. All model chemistries predict exothermic reactions. The G3 and G2 methods result in the smallest deviations from experiment, 1.8 and 0 kcal mol(-1), for the enthalpies of reaction for N(2)O reaction with chlorine and bromine, respectively. The G3//B3LYP and G1 methods perform best among the composite methods in predicting energies of the transition state, with a deviation of 1.9 and 3.0 kcal mol(-1), respectively, in the activation energies for the above processes. However, the B3LYP/6-311+G(3df,2p) method gives smaller deviations of 0.4 and -1.0 kcal mol(-1), respectively. The performance of the methodologies applied in predicting transition state energies was analyzed.     

Association rate constants for reactions between resonance-stabilized radicals: C3H3 + C3H3, C3H3 + C3H5, and C3H5 + C3H5

Reactions between resonance-stabilized radicals play an important role in combustion chemistry. The theoretical prediction of rate coefficients and product distributions for such reactions is complicated by the fact that the initial complex-formation steps and some dissociation steps are barrierless. In this paper direct variable reaction coordinate transition state theory (VRC-TST) is used to predict accurately the association rate constants for the self and cross reactions of propargyl and allyl radicals. For each reaction, a set of multifaceted dividing surfaces is used to account for the multiple possible addition channels. Because of their resonant nature the geometric relaxation of the radicals is important. Here, the effect of this relaxation is explicitly calculated with the UB3LYP/cc-pvdz method for each mutual orientation encountered in the configurational integrals over the transition state dividing surfaces. The final energies are obtained from CASPT2/cc-pvdz calculations with all pi-orbitals in the active space. Evaluations along the minimum energy path suggest that basis set corrections are negligible. The VRC-TST approach was also used to calculate the association rate constant and the corresponding number of states for the C(6)H(5) + H --> C(6)H(6) exit channel of the C(3)H(3) + C(3)H(3) reaction, which is also barrierless. For this reaction, the interaction energies were evaluated with the CASPT2(2e,2o)/cc-pvdz method and a 1-D correction is included on the basis of CAS+1+2+QC/aug-cc-pvtz calculations for the CH(3) + H reference system. For the C(3)H(3) + C(3)H(3) reaction, the VRC-TST results for the energy and angular momentum resolved numbers of states in the entrance channels and in the C(6)H(5) + H exit channel are incorporated in a master equation simulation to determine the temperature and pressure dependence of the phenomenological rate coefficients. The rate constants for the C(3)H(3) + C(3)H(3) and C(3)H(5) + C(3)H(5) self-reactions compare favorably with the available experimental data. To our knowledge there are no experimental rate data for the C(3)H(3) + C(3)H(5) reaction.     

Quantum mechanical rate constants for H + O2 <--> O + OH and H + O2 --> HO2 reactions

Canonical rate constants for both the forward and reverse H + O(2) <--> O + OH reactions were calculated using a quantum wave packet-based statistical model on the DMBE IV potential energy surface of Varandas and co-workers. For these bimolecular reactions, the results show reasonably good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data up to 1500 K. In addition, the capture rate for the H + O(2) --> HO(2) addition reaction at the high-pressure limit was obtained on the same potential using a time-independent quantum capture method. Excellent agreement with experimental and quasi-classical trajectory results was obtained except for at very low temperatures, where a reaction threshold was found and attributed to the centrifugal barrier of the orbital motion.     

Mechanisms of the reactions of W AND W+ with H2O: computational studies

The mechanism of the reactions of W and W(+) with the water molecule have been studied for several lower-lying electronic states of tungsten centers at the CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p)+SDD and B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)+SDD levels of theory. It is shown that these reactions are essentially multistate processes, during which lower-lying electronic states of the systems cross several times. They start with the formation of initial prereaction M(H(2)O) complexes with M-H(2)O bonding energies of 9.6 and 48.2 kcal/mol for M = W and W(+), followed by insertion of the metal center into an O-H bond with 20.0 and 53.3 kcal/mol barriers for neutral and cationic systems, respectively. The overall process of M + H(2)O --> t-HM(OH) is calculated to be highly exothermic, 48.4 and 48.8 kcal/mol for M = W and W(+). From the HM(OH) intermediate the reaction may proceed via several different channels, among which the stepwise HM(OH) --> HMO + H --> (H)(2)MO and concerted HM(OH) --> (H)(2)MO pathways are more favorable and can compete (energetically) with each other. For the neutral system (M = W), the concerted process is the most favorable, whereas for the charged system (M = W(+)), the stepwise pathway is slightly more favorable. From the energetically most favorable intermediate (H)(2)MO the reactions proceed via H(2)-molecule formation with a 53.1 kcal/mol activation barrier for the neutral system. For the cationic system, H-H formation and dissociation is an almost barrierless process. The overall reaction of W and W(+) with the water molecule leading to H(2) + MO formation is found to be exothermic by 48.2 and 39.8 kcal/mol, respectively. In the gas phase with the collision-less conditions the reactions W((7)S) + H(2)O --> H(2) + WO((3)Sigma(+)), and W(+)((6)D) + H(2)O --> H(2) + WO(+)((4)Sigma(+)) are expected to proceed via a 10.4 and 5.1 kcal/mol overall energy barrier corresponding to the first O-H dissociation at the TS1. On the basis of these PESs, we predict kinetic rate constants for the reactions of W and W(+) with H(2)O.     

Thermochemistry and kinetics of the 2-butanone-4-yl CH3C(=O)CH2CH2• + O2 reaction system

Thermochemistry and kinetic pathways on the 2-butanone-4-yl (CH₃C(=O)CH₂CH₂•) + O₂ reaction system are determined. Standard enthalpies, entropies, and heat capacities are evaluated using the G3MP2B3, G3, G3MP3, CBS-QB3 ab initio methods, and the B3LYP/6-311g(d,p) density functional calculation method. The CH₃C(=O)CH₂CH₂• radical + O₂ association reaction forms a chemically activated peroxy radical with 35 kcal mol⁻¹ excess of energy. The chemically activated adduct can undergo RO−O bond dissociation, rearrangement via intramolecular hydrogen transfer reactions to form hydroperoxide-alkyl radicals, or eliminate HO₂ and OH. The hydroperoxide-alkyl radical intermediates can undergo further reactions forming ketones, cyclic ethers, OH radicals, ketene, formaldehyde, or oxiranes. A relatively new path showing a low barrier and resulting in reactive product sets involves peroxy radical attack on a carbonyl carbon atom in a cyclic transition state structure. It is shown to be important in ketones when the cyclic transition state has five or more central atoms.     

Theoretical study of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and its product radicals and parent ether(CH3CH2OCH3) with OH

A dual-level direct dynamic method is employed to study the reaction mechanisms of CF3CH2OCHF2 (HFE-245fa2; HFE-245mf) with the OH radicals and Cl atoms. Two hydrogen abstraction channels and two displacement processes are found for each reaction. For further study, the reaction mechanisms of its products (CF3CH2OCF2 and CF3CHOCHF2) and parent ether CH3CH2OCH3 with OH radical are investigated theoretically. The geometries and frequencies of all the stationary points and the minimum energy paths (MEPs) are calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level. The energetic information along the MEPs is further refined at the G3(MP2) level of theory. For reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl, the calculation indicates that the hydrogen abstraction from --CH2-- group is the dominant reaction channel, and the displacement processes may be negligible because of the high barriers. The standard enthalpies of formation for the reactant CF3CH2OCHF2, and two products CF3CH2OCHF2 and CF3CHOCHF2 are evaluated via group-balanced isodesmic reactions. The rate constants of reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 + OH/Cl and CH3CH2OCH3 + OH are estimated by using the variational transition state theory over a wide range of temperature (200-2000 K). The agreement between the theoretical and experimental rate constants is good in the measured temperature range. From the comparison between the rate constants of the reactions CF3CH2OCHF2 and CH3CH2OCH3 with OH, it is shown that the fluorine substitution decreases the reactivity of the C--H bond.     

Theoretical dynamic studies on the reactions of CH3C(O)CH3-nCl(n) (n = 0-3) with the chlorine atom

The theoretical investigations were performed on the reaction mechanisms for the title reactions CH(3)C(O)CH(3) + Cl --> products (R1), CH(3)C(O)CH(2)Cl + Cl --> products (R2), CH(3)C(O)CHCl(2) + Cl --> products (R3), and CH(3)C(O)CCl(3) + Cl --> products (R4) by ab initio direct dynamics approach. Two different reaction channels have been found: abstract of the H atom from methyl (--CH(3)) group or chloromethyl (--CH(3-n)Cl(n)) group of chloroacetone and addition of a Cl atom to the carbon atom of the carbonyl group of chloroacetone followed by methyl or chloromethyl eliminations. Because of the higher potential energy barrier, the contribution of addition-elimination reaction pathway to the total rate constants is very small and thus this pathway is insignificant in atmospheric conditions. The rate constants for the H-abstraction reaction channels are evaluated by using canonical variational transition state theory incorporating with the small-curvature tunneling correction. Theoretical overall rate constants are in good agreement with the available experimental values and decrease in the order of k(1) > k(2) > k(3) > k(4). The results indicate that for halogenated acetones the substitution of halogen atom (F or Cl) leads to the decrease in the C--H bond reactivity and more decrease of reactivity is caused by F-substitution.     

Theoretical study on the mechanism of the 1CHCl + NO2 reactions

The radical-molecule reaction mechanism of (1)CHCl with NO(2) has been explored theoretically at the B3LYP/6-311G(d, p) and CCSD(T)/6-311G(d, p) (single-point) levels of theory. Thirteen minimum isomers and 29 transition states are located. The initial association between (1)CHCl and NO(2) proceeds most likely through the carbon-to-middle-nitrogen attack leading to an energy-rich adduct a (HClCNO(2)), which is found to be a barrierless process. Staring from a, the most feasible channel is to undergo a concerted O-shift and C--N bond rupture leading to product P(2) (NO + HClCO). The minor product pathways are the direct O-extrusion of a to P(3) (O + HClCNO-cis) as well as the 1,3-H-shift of a to isomer b (ClCNOOH) followed by a concerted OH-shift leading to d (HOClCNO), which will dissociate to product P(8) (NO + ClCOH) via C--N cleavage. Because the transition states and isomers involved in the most feasible channel all lie below the reactants, the title reaction is expected to be rapid, as is consistent with the measured rate constant at 296 K. The comparison with the analogous reactions (3)CH(2) + NO(2) are discussed. The present study may be useful for further experimental investigation of the title reaction.     

Falloff curves for the Reaction CH3 + O2 (+ M) --> CH3O2 (+ M) in the pressure range 2-1000 bar and the temperature range 300-700 K

The reaction CH(3) + O(2) (+M) --> CH(3)O(2) (+M) was studied in the bath gases Ar and N(2) in a high-temperature/high-pressure flow cell at pressures ranging from 2 to 1000 bar and at temperatures between 300 and 700 K. Methyl radicals were generated by laser flash photolysis of azomethane or acetone. Methylperoxy radicals were monitored by UV absorption at 240 nm. The falloff curves of the rate constants are represented by the simplified expression k/k(infinity) approximately [x/(1 + x)]F(cent)(1/{1+[(log)(x)/)(N)(]2}) with x = k(0)/k(infinity) F(cent) approximately 0.33, and N approximately 1.47, where k(0) and k(infinity) denote the limiting low and high-pressure rate constants, respectively. At low temperatures, 300-400 K, and pressures >300 bar, a fairly abrupt increase of the rate constants beyond the values given by the falloff expressions was observed. This effect is attributed to a contribution from the radical complex mechanism as was also observed in other recombination reactions of larger radicals. Equal limiting low-pressure rate constants k(0) = [M]7 x 10(-31)(T/300 K)(-3.0) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1) were fitted for M = Ar and N(2) whereas limiting high-pressure rate constants k(infinity) = 2.2 x 10(-12)(T/300 K)(0.9) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) were approached. These values are discussed in terms of unimolecular rate theory. It is concluded that a theoretical interpretation of the derived rate constants has to be postponed until better information of the potential energy surface is available. Preliminary theoretical evaluation suggests that there is an "anisotropy bottleneck" in the otherwise barrierless interaction potential between CH(3) and O(2).     

Kinetics of the O + ICN reaction

The kinetics of the O + ICN reaction was studied using a relative rate method, with O + C(2)H(2) as the competing reaction. Carbon monoxide products formed in the competing reaction and subsequent secondary chemistry were detected as a function of reagent ICN pressure to obtain total rate constants for the O + ICN reaction. Analysis of the experimental data yields rate constants of k(1) = (3.7 ± 1.0 to 26.2 ± 4.0) × 10(-14) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) over the total pressure range 1.5-9.5 Torr. Product channel NCO + I, the only bimolecular exothermic channel of the reaction, was investigated by detection of N(2)O in the presence of NO and found to be insignificant. An ab initio calculation of the potential energy surface (PES) of the reaction at the CCSD(T)/CEP-31G//DFT-B3LYP/CEP-31G level of theory was also performed. The pathways leading to bimolecular product channels are kinetically unfavorable. Formation and subsequent stabilization of an ICNO adduct species appears to dominate the reaction, in agreement with the experimentally observed pressure dependent rate constants.